Despite long-term support for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) among Aborigines, the party’s final list of legislator-at-large nominees included only one Aboriginal candidate, of the Sediq people, in 28th. That was a great disappointment to Taiwan’s indigenous people.
There were reports that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had planned to give Tuhi Martukaw of the Puyuma people top spot on its list, which was a comfort for Aborigines.
Unfortunately, the DPP also let us down, as its list included a single Aborigine, Omi Wilang of the Atayal people, in 15th, which leaves it uncertain whether this will give him a legislative seat, as he is among the last of the “safe” positions.
The KMT put Hua Tsen (華真) of the Paiwan people at 28th in 2008 and in 2012. The only time an Aboriginal candidate has been elected as a legislator-at-large was when Chang Jen-hsiang (章仁香) of the Amis people was 11th for the KMT in 2004.
When making its at-large lists, the KMT pays little attention to Aborigines, perhaps because it believes that they are die-hard KMT supporters. It garners at least 65 percent of the Aboriginal vote in every election.
The DPP’s proportion of the Aboriginal vote has never exceeded 20 percent, although it often puts Aborigines on its at-large list. Since the 2004 legislative elections, the party has had Aborigines on its list in almost every election. It also places them higher and sometimes even has two such candidates.
However, when the DPP released its list for January’s elections at a news conference on Nov. 14, Tuhi Martukaw was not on it after initially being slated to have the top spot.
If that situation had remained, the party would have had a good change to win more support from Aborigines, but with the change, it has once again lost our trust.
As for the New Power Party, it failed to nominate any Aborigines this time, despite putting Kawlo Iyun Pacidal of the Amis people at the top of its list four years ago. We have to wait and see what the other parties such as the Taiwan People’s Party and the People First Party do.
At-large nominees are a party’s die-hards. They must obey instructions in every vote at the Legislative Yuan.
Even so, when deciding which names to put on their lists, parties should attach greater importance to disadvantaged and minority groups, instead of using the lists to perpetuate party factions, and bolstering the status of the rich and powerful, and political dynasties.
Nov. 22 was the deadline to register for the legislative elections, but to the great disappointment of Aborigines, the leaders of the major political parties failed to seize the opportunity to reconsider their lists.
When casting party votes on Jan. 11, my fellow Aborigines should make their choice with caution, and they should no longer be deceived by the sweet words of political parties.
Awi Sabou is a member of the Sediq community in Nantou County.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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